I’d be surprised if any officers out there have time to read or write blogs at the moment. The relative calm of summer is being replaced by the carnage that’s invariably associated with freshers’ season. I’ve only seen it at three unions so far, but I’ve already caught the freshers’ feeling. Good luck with it all. If it’s any consolation, my month has been just as exhausting. Here’s what I’ve been up to…

Friday 1st September: Making Members Count – RAE Consultation

Back at NUS conference in Blackpool, I promised to make NUS policy responses and decision making work from the membership upwards. As a sabb I was fed up with not being consulted about NUS’ responses to major consultations and felt that the National Union could more to promote discussion about education policy issues between officers.

So this year I’ve launched a new initiative called ‘Making Members Count’ and started off with an experimental focus group format to discuss NUS’ response to the DfES consultation on changes to the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). It’s not the sexiest of subjects, but officers from a range of unions joined us at NUS HQ and contributed to what I enjoyed as a thorough and wide-ranging debate about research and its impact on students – especially our postgraduate members. Thanks to everyone who attended, especially Richard Angell and Simon Felton from NPC for helping run the day with Sofija and I.

Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th: Countdown to campaigns launch!

Both days were spent in NUS HQ frantically preparing for the NUS campaigns launch later that week and swotting up on my powerpoint skills!

Wednesday 6th: Campaigns Launch, Birmingham

Thanks very much to all of you who attended and special thanks to those who took the time to feedback on the events and campaigns. I can’t tell you how excited and nervous I was to be launching Admission: Impossible to the membership and I’m glad it’s received such an enthusiastic response.

We hoped to build on last year’s event:

• Priority Campaign materials were on show and available to order there and then

• Key campaigning dates and messages for the first term were ready

• The campaign toolkits were distributed on the day and the demo countdown calendar was there for you to take away

Overall feedback has been good, but – as ever – there’s always room for improvement! I still think that much work needs to be done to make the event as cost-effective as possible, but I hope that any cynics out there who were expecting a lot of hot air about the priority campaign and little by way of action were pleasantly surprised.

Thursday 7th: Student Governors’ Event and External Launch reception

Shattered and exhausted I was up bright and early for the Leadership Foundation’s annual Student Governors’ event to run a plenary session, facilitate some group work and take part in a panel. Lots of familiar faces from the launch and summer training, which was really nice. The feedback on my presentation was also very positive so thanks to all concerned.

The questions from delegates were sharp and incisive and if that’s the calibre of representatives on governing bodies, boards and councils this year then students across the country are in very safe hands!

Afterwards, I left with Kotomah (who stole the show with his speech the day before I should add!!!) and went over to the External Campaigns launch, which I really enjoyed. There’s nothing like criticising government policy with the minister responsible in the room! And lots of really good feedback from our external partners who attended, as well as some welcome faces from NEC’s in years gone by.

Friday 8th: NEC Meeting

The second NEC meeting of the year included some good debate, heated discussion and some rancorous exchanges. Having played a part in some of those I wish the NEC meeting hadn’t been held at the end of such a stressful week (or weeks for that matter!) as tempers were frayed and the Friday feeling was nowhere to be seen.

I do want to highlight one really positive debate though and that was on Student Contracts. I’m going to write a separate blog about this, but aside from a really good exchange of opinions the motion I submitted with the rest of the Labour Student group on the NEC caught the interest of the Education Editor at the Guardian, who was keen to hear our resolution on the issue the following Sunday, which resulted in NUS making the front page of the Guardian – our first in a very long time!!!.

I really want to thank everyone who took part in the debate, especially Dave Charlesworth whose questioning of some parts of the motion led to a really thorough discussion and Ruqayyah Collector, whose successful campaigning on this issue last year provided an example worth investigating as a way forward on this issue. More soon.

Although I left the meeting feeling pretty down in the mouth about some parts of the day, I think the Guardian story demonstrates the impact that our meetings can have when we discuss issues that are cutting edge, relevant and where we set out a clear agenda to tackle the challenges faced by our members.

Monday 11th – Thursday 14th: TUC Conference, Brighton

Great week down at the annual conference of the TUC. Brilliant opportunity to plug our campaigns and I was delighted be there with Gemma, who stole the show with an unprecedented keynote speech from the NUS President on congress floor. It gave NUS such a high profile and I simply can’t believe how far our trade union partnership work has come along this year.

I attended fringes organised by NUS/TUC, Amicus, NUT, NASUWT, Unison, ATL and Community and managed to track down Alan Johnson and get him committed to a meeting with us. I also attended the Endsleigh Dinner.

Wednesday 13th: Labour Party Education & Skills Policy Commission

On Wednesday I ducked out of Brighton for the day to attend a meeting of the Labour Party’s Education & Skills Policy Commission, which had invited myself and Ellie Russell to give evidence on how to improve staying-on rates post-16.

Before us we had Education Secretary Alan Johnson, Schools Minister Jim Knight, Skills Minister Phil Hope, Children’s Minister Bev Hughes and the trade unionists, NEC members and National Policy Forum members that sit on the commission. We had a very good discussion and certainly didn’t hold back from expressing a number of serious concerns we have about the 14-19 curriculum, adult education cuts in FE, transport issues and – of course – the impact of top-up fees on access. We were encouraged to make written submissions more often in future and may well be invited back in the future.

I was pleased that we got the opportunity as engaging with the big three parties’ policy-making processes was a key part of the lobbying strategy I wrote for the priority campaign.

Friday 15th (and the weekend!): Catching up!

Worthwhile though my time out of the office is, it doesn’t do my inbox any good! Weekend was spent trying to have a serious catch up before the party conference season!

Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th: Liberal Democrat Party Conference

Myself and Gemma attended the Lib Dem Party Conference for a couple of days down in Brighton again. We held a joint fringe with CMU (Campaign for Mainstream Universities) on how to fund universities fairly, which was packed to the rafters and promoted a(nother) great debate on student contracts, which is becoming a favourite of mine at the moment. Gemma also spoke at a fringe organised by UCU.

Wednesday 20th: Oxford Brookes’ Freshers’ Fair

Up at the crack of dawn and off to Oxford I spent the day staffing the NUS Admission: Impossible stall down at Brookes. Great opportunity to start pushing the campaign to students and to catch up with the sabbs.

Thursday 21st: Admission: Impossible Roadshow at Canterbury

Will save this for the campaign diary myself and Gemma will be writing! Spent the day at Kent University and Canterbury Christ Church. More soon!

Friday 22nd: Back in HQ!

For two important meetings – one being our Senior Management Team meeting (which I sit on with the other vice-presidents, treasurer, secretary, president and directors) and the other being a meeting setting out our European agenda for the coming year!

So as you can see – it’s been a really busy start to September. Can’t say I’ve found it particularly easy-going to be honest and it’s been mentally exhausting, but I’m signing off this blog absolutely buzzing about the start of rolling out Admission: Impossible and looking ahead to a month where I’ll doubtlessly be physically and mentally stretched more than ever before. Still, I like a challenge!

Wes

e wes@nus.org.uk

m 07738 477 353

www.officeronline.co.uk/admissionimpossible

PS - We haven’t been able to get priority campaign materials out as quickly as we’d hoped, but rest assured that they’ve been arriving into NUS HQ this week and are on their way out to you!!!

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